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Shoq-e-Aawargi / شوق آوارگی
A young Ata ul Haq Qasmi's trip to the United States.
Hardcover
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 18, 2020
(The title literally means wanderlust)
Ata ul Haq Qasmi's Urdu travelogues are very interesting and full of humour,he is also a playwright.
This book is about his younger days,in the 1970s,when like many Pakistanis,he migrated to the US in search of greener pastures.He went to St.Louis Missouri,and stayed and worked there a while.But then,as he puts it,he was taunted by the locals and was so disheartened that he decided to return abruptly to Pakistan.
But the return trip was not without its share of further travelling and adventure.
He stopped over in several European countries.The book starts with his impressions of New York and continues with his experiences in Holland,Germany,France,Italy,Yugoslavia and Turkey.
Along the way he meets Pakistanis,many of whom live far from happy lives.Some are married to local women and feel uneasy,while living in strange lands as first generation immigrants.
In Germany,he meets a bunch of Pakistanis living communally and doing low paying,laborious jobs.Poor Pakistanis would,of course do anything to go to the West,to make some money.
The author returns to Pakistan and becomes a college lecturer.But he would continue to travel the world later,and write several more travelogues.Politically savvy,he would also make his way to some very lucrative and controversial government jobs.
But regardless,this book is a joy to read.It has sparkling wit,plenty of anecdotes and lively encounters with locals.An excellent Urdu travelogue.
Ata ul Haq Qasmi's Urdu travelogues are very interesting and full of humour,he is also a playwright.
This book is about his younger days,in the 1970s,when like many Pakistanis,he migrated to the US in search of greener pastures.He went to St.Louis Missouri,and stayed and worked there a while.But then,as he puts it,he was taunted by the locals and was so disheartened that he decided to return abruptly to Pakistan.
But the return trip was not without its share of further travelling and adventure.
He stopped over in several European countries.The book starts with his impressions of New York and continues with his experiences in Holland,Germany,France,Italy,Yugoslavia and Turkey.
Along the way he meets Pakistanis,many of whom live far from happy lives.Some are married to local women and feel uneasy,while living in strange lands as first generation immigrants.
In Germany,he meets a bunch of Pakistanis living communally and doing low paying,laborious jobs.Poor Pakistanis would,of course do anything to go to the West,to make some money.
The author returns to Pakistan and becomes a college lecturer.But he would continue to travel the world later,and write several more travelogues.Politically savvy,he would also make his way to some very lucrative and controversial government jobs.
But regardless,this book is a joy to read.It has sparkling wit,plenty of anecdotes and lively encounters with locals.An excellent Urdu travelogue.
January 5, 2020
Shooq
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
August 22, 2021He is a great man
December 5, 2023
Nice Book
September 17, 2020
this is a travelogue of Qasmi of different countries. Some adventures some humor and some romance.
Dil Nawaz
Co-Founder
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
Dil Nawaz
Co-Founder
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews